Jinternets! and a lot more...

Hmmm.... just visited Crabby Patty's blogsite and let me say, I'm amazed that he was able to post a lot of entries already. It must have been a very sloooowwww night that time (right Pat?)... ü Thanks for that, it inspired me to finally create an additional entry in my (palamuti lamang ba?) blog account.

Well a lot has happened since I've created my account (given that I've created it, like what, 4 months ago?) hehe I now exercise, and no my friends, its no longer just walking and malling. I am now a badminton player and a boxer. Yep, boxing... you heard me right...

Renski is an exercise addict (admit it) and she has convinced me to spend pesos on activities that would leave me bed ridden two to three days later.

Briskwalking... The first exercise that I tried out with her is briswalking which I thought would be a breeze since I like walking and I like parks. So one Tuesday night, off we went to Velasquez park. It was a perfect night, weather was just right, nice park with adequate lighting, the kids had come out to play and there were other briskwalkers like us. The scene at the playground was like a UN conference, kids from different backgrounds converged, laughing and playing happily with each other. It only took three rounds before Renski gave up and decided to sit down (nangangati ako Mel eh -- yeah right). I on the other hand, the ever go-go-go person, gamely finished 5 more rounds on Renski's order for me to beat my previous lap time. I think we ate after that.

Badminton... I think everyone played badminton when they were younger. Complete with the sando attire, tsinelas galore. They sell a complete badminton set at the palengke for 50 pesos. We would start playing around 4 pm until they turn on the lights. Then once in a while, playing time will be disturbed by a passing tricycle (huy, tabi!); strong winds and the occassional "outside eh" "pano naging outside?" "ayan o, lumampas sa line" or when the shuttle cock was accidentaly hit inside a neighbor's yard "ikaw kasi eh lakas lakas mo tumira!"

Friends from the office invited us to play badminton with them, held every Thursday night. It was my first time to play badminton on a real court with rubber shoes on! I think my jaw dropped when I saw how they played. I've never heard a more powerful shot that could emanate from a badminton racket. Suddenly I saw images of me grabbing my face, my neck and my chest, grasping for breath and mutely screaming "tell my mommy and daddy i love them and that i have insurance". Oh my god. That was when I finally convinced myself, I could die playing badminton. Getting to the court was an exercise in itself. Elevators were under repair so we had to take 4 flights of stairs to get to the court. I had fun though! I think our friends were challenged by me and Renski, since they had to go down a few notches lower on their level of expertise to accomodate us. And then we had dinner after playing. Chowking, Pioneer Center.

Boxing... I've never watched a boxing game before until the Olympics where Onyok Velasco won the silver medal. Which brings into mind, where is Onyok now? hmmmm... Manny Pacquiao... hmmm ever since his name became a household staple, i've avidly watched his matches with my mom making side comments "bakit ba gustong gusto nyo pinapanood yan?". And then Manny decided to run for congressman, why??? Though i watch his matches, I still don't like boxing. I've never seen Cinderella Man, Million Dollar Baby nor Ali. It just seemed like a patriotic duty to watch Manny Pacquiao in action --- even if I was rooting for Larios.

Then one June night, Renski invited me to Punch Out for boxing lessons. After seeing too many Juday ads with her boxing, I said yes. What the heck.. My trainer was Manny. No, not Pacquiao. Just to brief you, I find it difficult to coordinate my hand and feet, oh and brain. That's why I still don't have my driver's license and that I am now on my third student permit. So imagine me, with hand wraps on and gloves all ready in place and doing warm ups. Warm-up pa lang, palpak na. So I said good luck to Manny and off we go to my first ever boxing training. At first I was very conscious of how I looked like while boxing. But after ten minutes, ay bahala na! hala suntok suntok!! of course I was laughing all the time, which prompted Manny to ask "Ma'am bakit tawa ka ng tawa?" Then he left me on my own boxing a thing that resembles a human tonsil. And then he made me do 100 sit-ups while holding a medicine ball. "ANO??? pagsisit-ups mo ako???" "oo, ma'am 50 na ganito ang hawak sa bola tapos 50 na ganito naman position" "100 lahat?!?" at least I was seated on a bench that looked like it was meant for sit-ups unlike Renski who was strapped down to the floor by a tire. Then we had dinner after.

So there, that's part of what I've been doing for the past months... Hope to post a new entry soon.. Well I hope it won't take two months before I post a new entry...